NATO fighter jets from Lithuania destroy drone in Latvian airspace

NATO fighter jets scrambled from Lithuania's Šiauliai air base successfully intercepted and destroyed a drone that had entered Latvian airspace early Tuesday. The operation, which occurred shortly after 4 a.m., was deemed a successful air defense mission conducted from Lithuanian territory.

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As you know, the incident happened a little after 4 a.m., so not much time has passed. The operation was carried out from the Šiauliai air base, fighter jets took off from there to identify the object, and after a dozen minutes the object was identified and successfully destroyed.

According to the head of the National Crisis Management Center (NKVC), V. Vitkauskas, the drone was identified and destroyed within minutes of the jets' launch. While the exact origin and flight path are still being investigated, initial assessments suggest the object may have been diverted by Russian electronic warfare systems. Vitkauskas noted that this incident is similar to operations conducted in May targeting legitimate sites in Russia.

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We can be pleased that it was a successful air defense operation, which was carried out from Lithuanian territory.

Authorities confirmed that no Lithuanian airspace violations were recorded, and there is currently no information about any damage caused by the drone. The search for the drone's debris is ongoing. Latvia's military had initially reported an air hazard over the Balvi region, urging residents to seek shelter, but later announced the threat had been lifted. The incident highlights the ongoing use of drones in the conflict in Ukraine and the potential for such craft to stray into NATO territory.

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The data is still being clarified, but most likely the object first changed direction in Russian territory, or crossed the border from Belarus or Russia – this is still being determined.